ABOUT THE BOXSET

One day in August 2024, Northumbrian folk legend Robin Dransfield phoned up Colin Harper for an argument (good natured ribaldry, really) and somewhere amid the verbal jousting and bonhomie happened to mention his old friend Dick Gaughan…

Colin had seen Gaughan many times in the 80s and 90s, until life got in the way and he lost track of Dick’s career after Outlaws and Dreamers (2001). He later heard, with sadness, of the stroke that ended Dick’s public performances. Fast forward to that phone call from Robin, and Colin – by this point a very experienced author of music history books and ‘curator’ in the world of archival projects around vintage folk, jazz and rock – felt a project coming on. A pebble started rolling down a mountain.

Listening at length to Gaughan’s music for the first time in a while, Colin realised ‘This man was a genius. Why don’t we hear anything about him these days?’ Indeed, to adapt some notorious graffiti on Slade back in the day, ‘Whatever happened to Dick Gaughan?’ Colin decided to use his skills and his contacts to create a product that would draw attention to Gaughan once again, to retrieve his artistry from Gaughan’s reissue ‘dead zone’ of the 70s, to allow old fans to engage anew with his artistry and to allow new people to maybe hear something about him – and hear something by him – for the first time. Crucially, it would also allow Dick – if he was willing to let the idea proceed – to make some money.

Robin Dransfield phoned Dick. He was potentially interested. He spoke to Colin and he became enthusiastically interested. Colin had created a 12-disc set on paper. Unfortunately, his record industry contacts were not interested – they just didn’t believe there was an audience for Dick Gaughan in 2025. Instinctively, Colin knew this was wrong. He honed the set down to its essentials, phoned fellow Gaughan devotee Karine Polwart for moral support and started putting the costs together. Touch wood, we would do it ourselves.

In March–April 2025, a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign ran with the twin goals of: (1) creating the 7CD+DVD box set R/evolution: 1969–83; (2) raising some funds for Dick Gaughan himself, retired and visually impaired. With active and generous endorsement from fellow artists including Barbara Dickson, Karine Polwart, Billy Bragg, Patsy Seddon, Chris Brain and Andrew Cronshaw, the campaign raised close to £92,000 (c. £84,000 after platform fees), with support from nearly 1,100 people. So much for there being no audience for Dick Gaughan in 2025! 

During the month-long campaign, the project expanded to include two limited edition auxiliary ‘extras’ – Untroubled: Live in Belfast 1979–82 (CD) and Live in the 70s (2CD) – and a limited edition vinyl spin-off from the main set, Live at the BBC: 1972–79. The level of support also allowed additions to be made to the main 7CD + DVD set, principally in terms of licensing in some further broadcast material. It also meant that rather than being limited to 1,000 units, we would press 1,500 units, with the additional copies going to general retail via distributor/retailer Last Night From Glasgow (release date circa November 2025).

With a fair wind, several further Gaughan releases are planned for 2026 including an expanded reissue of his 1986 album True And Bold: Songs of the Scottish Miners, The Kershaw Sessions Plus: 1984–2005 (a 2CD set gathering Dick’s six Andy Kershaw BBC sessions and the best of other BBC recordings from this ‘second half’ of his career) and Collaborations, an album gathering the best of his stray studio recordings from 2000–2015 – songs gifted to compilations and guest appearances on the albums of others, which together sound close to being a ‘lost Dick Gaughan album’. 

***

In July 2025, Dick Gaughan instructed solicitors on the matter of seven albums and two tracks claimed by an entity known as ‘Celtic Music’. A GoFundMe campaign, involving fellow musicians Kathryn Tickell, Patsy Seddon and Maggie Holland, was launched to gather legal fees. Find it here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/aatux2

Dick’s express hope is that precedents can be established during the process that will assist other artists in reclaiming their music.

***

What’s in the box?

126 audio tracks (9 hours) and 38 video tracks (2½ hours, spanning 1970–2012) from five broadcasters and two amateur documentarists. 

83 audio tracks are unreleased (43 BBC session/concert recordings + 40 club/concert recordings) including many songs and tunes never commercially recorded by Dick. 

All 38 video performances are unreleased (including two otherwise unrecorded Gaughan originals).

Maximised variety of repertoire (over 100 distinct songs or tune sets on the audio discs)

The audio is mastered by Cormac O’Kane and the video content is mastered by Eroc. Two extensive illustrated booklets are included featuring: (1) a new 10,000-word essay by Graeme Thomson; (2) vintage interview features by Ian A. Anderson, Jerry Gilbert, Fred Woods and Colin Irwin; (3) rare and unpublished photos from Ian A. Anderson, Dave Peabody, Frank Scott, Tom Steenbergen, Barry Plummer and Val Wilmer. 

The box set contents are listed below. Asterisked audio is previously unreleased.

CD 1: BBC / live 1969–73

My Kind of Folk, BBC Radio 2, 10/9/69 – live on air

1.  Fiddler’s Green (John Connolly) 3:54 *

2.  Burning of Auchindoun (trad arr Gaughan) 1:51 *

Live at the Crown Bar, Edinburgh, 25/8/70 

3.  Jock o’ Hazeldean (trad arr Gaughan) 4:12 *

Live at the Goat, St Albans, 15/11/71

4.  The Three Healths (trad arr Gaughan) 2:29 *

5.  The Thatchers of Glenrea (trad arr Gaughan) 2:23 *

6.  Derwentwater’s Farewell (trad arr Gaughan) 2:35 *

Folk on Two, BBC Radio 2, 11/10/72 – live on air (Dick Gaughan & Aly Bain)

7.  Jigs: The Langstern Pony / Banish Misfortune (trad arr Aly Bain, Dick Gaughan) 1:51 *

8.  Rattlin’ Roarin’ Willie (trad arr Gaughan) 1:58 *

9.  Fair Flower O’ Northumberland (trad arr Gaughan) 5:24 *

Listen Here Awhile, BBC Radio 4, rec. 16/11/72 – studio session (Boys of the Lough)

10.  Floo’ers o’ the Forest (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 4:15 *

11.  Farewell to Whiskey (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton)  2:54 *

12.  Slip Jigs: The Whinny Hills of Leitrim/Paddy O’Brien 

of Offaly’s (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 2:22 *

Listen Here Awhile, BBC Radio 4, rec. 29/12/72 –studio session (Boys of the Lough)

13.  Rigs o’ Rye (Trad arr Gaughan) 4:26 *

14.  Reel: The Hurricane (trad arr Gaughan) 1:26 *

15.  The Trooper and the Maid (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 2:42 *

16.  MacCrimmon’s Lament/Mrs Jamieson’s Favourite (trad arr Gaughan) 4:54 *

Live at Ghuznee Fort, Gillingham, 19/12/72 – Dick Gaughan & Aly Bain

17.  The Jolly Beggar (trad arr Aly Bain, Dick Gaughan) 5:48 *

18.  The Blackbird (trad arr Aly Bain, Dick Gaughan) 9:28 *

Rehearsal in the Netherlands, 1971

19.  Song extracts: The Cruel Mother (trad arr Gaughan) / Sweet Carnlough 

Bay (trad arr Guaghan) / Andrew Lammie (trad arr Gaughan) 3:21 *

Folkweave, Radio 2, 7/12/73 – live in Edinburgh 

20.  The Jolly Beggar (trad arr Gaughan) 4:58 *

21.  Alan MacPherson of Mosspark (trad arr Gaughan) 3:50 *

Total: 77:13

CD 2: Studio / live / BBC 1973–77

Folkweave, BBC Radio 2, 7/12/73 – live in Edinburgh 

1.  Farewell to Whisky (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton)  4:56 *

2.  MacCrimmon’s Lament (trad arr Gaughan) 5:34 *

From The Bonnie Pit Laddie (Topic, 1975)

3.  The Aughengeich Disaster (trad arr Gaughan) 2:18

4.  Bonny Woodha’ (trad arr Gaughan) 3:29

From Sandy Bell’s Ceilidh (Alba, 1977)

5.  The Cruel Brother (trad arr Gaughan) 5:40

6.  Sleepy Toon (trad arr Gaughan) 3:32

From The Second Folk Review Record (Folksound, 1976)

7.  Arthur MacBride (trad arr Gaughan) 2:17

8.  The Rashy Moor (trad arr Gaughan) 5:00

Live at St Andrews FC, 27/10/74

9.  Lord Randal (trad arr Gaughan) 4:41 *

10.  The Gypsy Laddies (trad arr Gaughan) 4:20 *

11.  The John McLean March (Hamish Henderson) 3:10 *

Folkweave, BBC Radio 2, 13/07/77 – live at Inverness 

12.  Planxty Johnson (trad arr Gaughan) 2:50 *

13.  Raglan Road (Patrick Cavanagh) 5:40 *

14.  Boys of the Lough (trad arr Gaughan)  / Roaring Mary (trad arr Gaughan) 2:24 *

15.  The 51st Highland Division’s Farewell to Sicily (Hamish Henderson) 6:05 *

Live at St Andrews Folk Club 18/12/77

16.  Rigs o’ Rye (trad arr Gaughan) 5:18 *

17.  Planxty Johnson (trad arr Gaughan) 3:48 *

18.  The Earl of Errol (trad arr Gaughan) 4:01 *

Total: 75:03

CD 3: Studio / BBC 1977–78

John Peel, BBC Radio 1, 27/7/77 – studio session

1.  Farewell to Whisky (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 3:50 *

2.  Boys of the Lough (trad arr Gaughan) 2:12 *

3.  My Donald (Owen Hand) 4:16 *

4.  Freedom Come All Ye (Hamish Henderson) 2:49 *

5.  The Rashy Moor (trad arr Gaughan) 3:47 *

John Peel, BBC Radio 1, 25/5/77 – studio session (Five Hand Reel)

6.  Pinch of Snuff (trad arr Dick Gaughan, Tom Hickland, Bobby Eaglesham, Barry Lyons, Dave Tulloch) 3:32 *

7.  A Man’s a Man For a’ That (trad arr Dick Gaughan, Tom Hickland, Bobby Eaglesham, Barry Lyons, Dave Tulloch) 3:10 *

8.  Carrickfergus (trad arr Dick Gaughan, Tom Hickland, Bobby Eaglesham, Barry Lyons, Dave Tulloch) 4:13 *

Gaughan (Topic, 1978)

9.  Bonnie Jeannie O’ Bethelnie (trad arr Gaughan) 5:22

10.  Bonnie Lass Amang the Heather (trad arr Gaughan) 3:21

11.  Crooked Jack (Dominic Behan) 5:09

12.  The Recruited Collier (A.L Lloyd / trad arr Gaughan) 3:07

13.  The Pound A Week Rise (Ed Pickford) 2:29

14.  My Donald (Owen Hand) 3:34

15.  Willie O’ Winsbury (trad arr Gaughan) 8:38

16.  Such a Parcel O’ Rogues in a Nation (trad arr Gaughan) 2:44

17.  Gillie Mor (Hamish Henderson) 3:21

From Coppers & Brass (Topic, 1977)

18.  Reels: O’Keefe’s / The Foxhunter’s (trad arr Gaughan) 2:45

19.  Reels: The Oak Tree / The Music in The Glen (trad arr Gaughan) 3:03

20.  Reels: The Spey in Spate / The Hurricane (trad arr Gaughan) 2:17

21.  Shetland Reels: Jack Broke the Prison Door / Donald Blue / Wha’ll Dance Wi’ Wattie (trad arr Gaughan) 1:48

Total: 75:27

CD 4: BBC 1977–79

John Peel, BBC Radio 1, 22/3/78 – studio session (Five Hand Reel)

1.  Jackson and Jane (trad arr Dick Gaughan, Tom Hickland, Bobby Eaglesham, Barry Lyons, Dave Tulloch) 6:32 *

2.  The Trooper and the Maid (trad arr Dick Gaughan, Tom Hickland, Bobby Eaglesham, Barry Lyons, Dave Tulloch) 4:53 *

3.  My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose (trad arr Dick Gaughan, Tom Hickland, Bobby Eaglesham, Barry Lyons, Dave Tulloch) 3:29 *

John Peel, BBC Radio 1, 25/5/77 – studio session (Five Hand Reel)

4.  P Stands for Paddy (trad arr Dick Gaughan, Tom Hickland, Bobby Eaglesham, Barry Lyons, Dave Tulloch) 4:35 *

Folkweave, BBC Radio 2, 25/03/79 – Festival Club, Edinburgh 

5.  Coppers and Brass / Behind the Haystack (trad arr Gaughan) 3:20 *

6.  Erin the Green (trad arr Gaughan) 5:31 *

7.  Bonnie Jeanie O’ Bethelnie (trad arr Gaughan) 5:27 *

Folkweave, BBC Radio 2, 23/08/79 – Broadcasting House, Edinburgh

8.  Fair Flower O’ Northumberland (trad arr Gaughan) 4:56 *

9.  The Pound a Week Rise (Ed Pickford) 2:52 *

10.  Willie O’ Winsbury (trad arr Gaughan) 8:12 *

11.  Craigie Hill (trad arr Gaughan) 4:51 *

Folk 79, BBC Radio 2, 3/4/79 – in concert (location unknown)

12.  The 51st Highland Division’s Farewell to Sicily (Hamish Henderson) 5:29 *

13.  Gillie Mor (Hamish Henderson) 4:09 *

14.  The Bonnie Lass Amang the Heather (trad arr Gaughan) 3:55 *

Folk on Two, 2/12/82 – DG in concert with Dave Burland and Tony Capstick at the Crypt, London, early 1981

15.  Jamie Foyers (Ewan MacColl)  3:28

16.  Schooldays End (Ewan MacColl)  1:59

17.  The Shoals of Herring (Ewan MacColl)  4:53

Total: 78:30

CD 5: Studio/live 1981–82

From Handful of Earth (Topic, 1981)

1.  Erin-Go-Bragh (trad arr Gaughan) 4.30

2.  Now Westlin Winds (trad arr Gaughan) 4.36

3.  The Snows They Melt the Soonest (trad arr Gaughan) 4.16

4.  Lough Erne / First Kiss at Parting (trad arr Gaughan) 5.52

5.  Scojun Waltz / Randers Hopsa (trad arr Gaughan) 4:09

6.  Both Sides the Tweed (Dick Gaughan) 3.39

From Folk Friends 2 (Wundertüte, 1981)

7.  The World Turned Upside Down (Leon Rosselson) 2:37

8.  Lassie Lie Near Me (trad arr Gaughan) 4:37

9.  The Father’s Song (Ewan MacColl) 3:42

From Parallel Lines (Wundertüte, 1982)

10.  The Lads o’ the Fair (Brian McNeill) / Leith Docks (Dick Gaughan) 3:34

11.  My Back Pages (Bob Dylan) / Afterthoughts (Dick Gaughan) 5:26

12.  Floo’ers o’ the Forest (trad arr Gaughan) 7:37

Waverley Bar ‘nostalgia’ session, Edinburgh, 3/81

13.  The Verdent Braes of Screen (trad arr Dick Gaughan) 3:22 *

14.  Too Much of Nothing (Bob Dylan) 2:33 *

15.  McPherson’s Rant (trad arr Dick Gaughan) 3:27 *

16.  Ballad of the Men of Knoydart (Hamish Henderson) 2:41 *

Folklore Center, New York, 21/8/72 (Boys of the Lough)

17.  Come Lay Me Down, Love (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 3:53 *

Total: 70:43

CD 6: Live in America 1981

Dick’s first solo US concert, Julia Morgan Centre, Berkeley, CA 8/11/81

1.  Magdalen Green (trad arr Dick Gaughan) 3.55 *

2.  Now Westlin Winds (trad arr Gaughan) 5:36 *

3.  Tommy Peoples’ Jig / Jackie Daly’s Jig (trad arr Gaughan) 4:33 *

4.  Farewell to Whisky (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 4:26 *

5.  Bonnie Jeannie o’ Bethelnie (trad arr Gaughan) 6:04 *

6.  The West Clare Railway (trad arr Gaughan) / Chicago Reel (Deloach arr Gaughan) / Jenny’s Welcome to Charlie (Deloach arr Gaughan) 4:25 *

7.  Lough Erne (trad arr Gaughan) 6:30 *

8.  Erin-Go-Bragh (trad arr Gaughan) 4:22 *

9.  Song for Ireland (Phil Colclough) 5:04 *

10.  Willie o’ Winsbury (trad arr Gaughan) 7:39 *

11.  Craigie Hill (trad arr Gaughan) 6:30 *

12.  Your Daughters and Your Sons (Tommy Sands) 3:30 *

13.  Johnny & Molly / Colonel Fraser / Charlie Lennon’s (trad arr Dick Gaughan) 6:54 *

14.  The World Turned Upside Down (Leon Rosselson) 3:49 *

15.  Thirty-Foot Trailer (Ewan MacColl) 4:31 *

Total: 77:48

CD 7: Studio / live 1981–83

Different Kind of Love Song (Wundertüte, 1983)

1.  A Different Kind of Love Song (Dick Gaughan) 3:48

2.  Revolution (Dick Gaughan, Joseph Bovshover) 4:14

3.  Prisoner 562 (Iain MacKintosh, Oswald Andrae) 3:39

4.  Song of Choice (Peggy Seeger) 2:30

5.  The Father’s Song (Ewan MacColl) 3:42

6.  Think Again (Dick Gaughan) 2:46

7.  As I Walked on the Road (Jim Brown) 5:14

8.  Stand Up for Judas (Leon Rosselson) 4:58

9.  By the People (Dick Gaughan) 3:33

10.  Games People Play (Joe South) 4:52

Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, 12/1/83

11.  The Rebel Corps (Bob Cooney) 5:20 *

12.  As I Walked on the Road (Jim Brown) 4:00 *

13.  (tunes) – with extended ovation 5:39 *

14.  Freedom Come All Ye (Hamish Henderson) 2:56 *

New York, 18/11/83

15.  Jigs: Tom Billy’s/The Monaghan/Sean Ryan’s (trad arr Dick Gaughan) 4:50 *

16.  Raglan Road (Patrick Cavanagh) 8:14 *

17.  Revolution (Dick Gaughan, Joseph Bovshover) 5:33 *

Total: 75:52

DVD: Dick Gaughan on Film 1970–2012

All performances are previously unreleased.

Genuine Scottish – Danish TV (DR, 13/2/70)

1.  Fiddler’s Green (John Connolly) 5:02

Sunday Gallery (BBC NI, 19/11/72)

2.  Jackson and Jane (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) / Boys of the Lough (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 5:40

Vienna Folk Festival 1981 Live in the 70s CD notes

3.  Magdalen Green (trad arr Gaughan) 3:28

Spectrum (BBC Scotland, 1983)

4.  Bonnie Jeannie o’ Bethelnie (trad arr Gaughan) + interview 4:55

5.  The Concertina Hornpipe (trad arr Gaughan) 0:51

6.  Song for Ireland (Phil Colclough) + interview 3:58

7.  Floo’ers o’ the Forest (edit) (trad arr Gaughan) + interview 4:12

Folkfestival ‘83 (WDR, 1983)

8.  Erin Go Bragh (trad arr Gaughan) 3:26

9.  The Games People Play (Joe South) 3:28

10.  Your Daughters and Your Sons (Tommy Sands) 3:25

11.  World Turned Upside Down (Leon Rosselson) 2:26

Which Side Are You On? (Ken Loach production, 1984)

12.  Which Side Are You On? (Gaughan) 2:13

(unknown programme rushes) (STV, 1/5/85)

13.  A Different Kind of Love Song (Dick Gaughan) 3:33

Festival View 87: Bill Paterson (BBC2, 27/8/87)

14.  What You Do With What You’ve Got (Si Kahn) 2:14

15.  Interview with Bill Paterson 0:58

16.  Now Westlin Winds (trad arr Gaughan) 2:37

Aly Bain & Friends (STV, 1988)

17.  Both Sides the Tweed (Dick Gaughan) 4:00

Live at the Thekla, Bristol (Bristol Ron, amateur film 28/11/90)

18.  Revolution (Dick Gaughan, Joseph Bovshover) 3:30

19.  Freedom Come All Ye (Hamish Henderson) 8:25

Supperman (STV, 1991)

19.  Afton Water (trad arr Dick Gaughan) 3:45

Angelou on Burns (Taylored Productions, 1996) – inclusion TBC

20.  Scots Wha-hae (trad arr Gaughan) 1:55 [inclusion TBC]

Tacsi (Mac TV independent production, 2000)

22.  Canan nan Gaidheal (with group) (trad arr Gaughan) 3:15  

Celtic Connections (Doc Rowe amateur film, January 2001)

23.  What You Do With What You’ve Got (Si Kahn) 3:53  

24.  Waist Deep in the Big Muddy (Pete Seeger) 4:25

Folk Britania: Which Side Are You On? (BBC outtake, 2006) 

25.  World Turned Upside Down (with Bragg & Holland) (Leon Rosselson) 3:50

Songs Of Ireland (BBC4, 18/3/12)

26.  Erin-Go-Bragh (DG with Solas) (trad arr Gaughan) 5:26

BONUS:

Vienna Folk Festival 1981 

27.  Now Westlin Winds (trad arr Gaughan) 5:30

28.  Tommy Peoples’ Jig / Jackie Daly’s Jig (trad arr Gaughan) 4:30

29.  Workers’ Song (Ed Pickford) 4:28

30.  Jenny’s Welcome to Charlie (trad arr Gaughan) 4:40

31.  Farewell to Whisky  (trad arr Aly Bain, Cathal McConnell, Dick Gaughan, Robin Morton) 5:05 

32.  The Pound a Week Rise (Ed Pickford) 3:07

Live in London (Doc Rowe, amateur film 1986)

33.  Song of Choice (Peggy Seeger) 3:10

34.  A Miner’s Life is Like a Sailor’s (trad arr Gaughan) 3:48

35.  The John McLean March (Hamish Henderson) 3:57

36.  Ireland Her Own (Dick Gaughan) 3:46

37.  U.S. Cousins (Dick Gaughan) 4:00

38.  Hawks and Eagles (Ian Walker) 3:02

Total: 144:11